


Ray Molina, Crime Scene Photographer and Matchmaker

by Bluefire510



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: AU, Based on a Tumblr Post, CrimeScenePhotographer!Ray, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Funny, Julie is super embarrassed, Luke is confused but taking it in stride, Meddling Ray, Ray and Julie have fun banter, Ray is #1 Juke stan, Ray takes the joke too far, Shovel Talk, alive!au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2020-11-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:47:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27629077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluefire510/pseuds/Bluefire510
Summary: Based off a Tumblr post'My dad is a cop and I just called him and he was like “hey I have a 17 year old boy in the back of my cop car right now that i’m running him to the station” and i asked if he was cute and my dad said “Hey, my daughter wants to know if you’re cute” and the guy said “i want to say yes, sir” and my dad started laughing so hard'AU where Ray is a meddling Crime Scene Photographer and just happens to hitch a ride in a patrol car with a handcuffed Luke in the backseat.
Relationships: Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Comments: 66
Kudos: 807





	Ray Molina, Crime Scene Photographer and Matchmaker

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for everyone who had seen the early iteration of this one shot on Tumblr and gave it so much love and support. This isn't necessarily the same version, it's longer and more involved but hopefully captures the same magic. 
> 
> The premise is based off a post from @ahcalamity on tumblr. I read this years ago and thought it would have been premise for a one-shot. I recommend this concept for all of your OTPs. 
> 
> Anyways, enjoy!

Peering at his watch, Ray knew he was going to hear about it when he got home. 

He had been out on assignments all day, the station running him ragged. But no matter what he had always made it home in time for dinner. He owed it that much to his kids. 

Before losing his wife last year due to cancer, Ray had been anxious to shed his fluorescent vest, store away his Mark IV in its case, and just be with his family after having been forced to capture some more gruesome and unsettling sights that day. 

Granted, he was still anxious, but it was more for arriving on time to put his kids at ease. The loss of their mom made it so that they would fear every time Ray would leave for work and anticipate when he'll come back.

He did his best to assure them that he was in no particular danger, seeing as though he would show up on the scene _after_ the crime has been committed. 

But it didn’t stop his eldest, his daughter Julie, from calling him every chance she gets after coming home from school. 

Ray expected a call coming in sometime soon, scratch having to wait until he got home for the riot act. And he braced himself for whatever lecture he would receive from his sweet, but albeit pissed off, 16-year-old. 

Man, she was so much like her mother that it both amused and worried Ray at the same time. She would always look out for him and Carlos, making sure that they both had their lunches packed, clothes washed, food set out, and just all around running the household like Rose would have. 

It made Ray wish that she had the chance to relax and act like a teenager for a change. 

He mused about this as he slid into what would be the third patrol car he had to ride in for the day. It was more economical that way, it seemed. To hitch rides to the same crime scene instead of taking his car.

It was also nice to have some company on the way back to the station, so he didn’t really mind. He had always been a social person. 

“Evening, Dan,” he greeted the officer, clicking the seatbelt in place. 

“Ray, didn’t expect to see you out so late,” 

He stuck his thumb in the direction of the restaurant theft and break-in the car was currently parked in front of, “Crime doesn’t seem to adhere to a schedule, huh?” 

“You’re telling me,” The officer pulled off the curb and started heading down to the station. His head ticked in the direction of the backseat, “Was well on my way to get home to the missus when I got a call to pick up some 17-year-old from the pier.” 

It was when Ray finally noticed that they weren’t alone. He shifted around in his seat to find a kid alright, but more on the older teen variety, sulking. Shaggy brown hair obscured his eyes as he looked down at his shoes, hands cuffed behind his back. 

Now Ray had a fair share of rides in a patrol car to feel oddly at ease whenever in the presence of a detainee. Some of the time they were dangerous individuals, petty thieves, or people busted for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. 

And he wasn’t sure if he was biased, being a parent of a teenager himself, but he would want to put this guy in the latter category. He didn’t seem to be one to deliberately cause trouble, gauging from how quiet he was. 

He called out a greeting, causing the boy to look up at him. Ray smiled and the boy immediately averted his gaze, squirming from the attempt of a courteous exchange. 

Ray shrugged, figuring that would be that but then his phone lit up, his daughter’s lovely singing voice filled the patrol car. Ray instinctively smiled at the ringtone and he noticed Officer Dan did too. From the corner of his eye, he watched the boy in the back straighten up in his seat, perhaps even leaning forward to listen better. 

That was his Julie, for you. Her voice could captivate anyone. 

Meanwhile, at home, Julie was leaning against the kitchen counter, tapping her foot impatiently and waiting for her dad to pick up the phone. 

Dinner was supposed to be at 7, like always. But her dad was still not home. 

It was edging to 8 and she and Carlos had been forced to go on without him because she absolutely rather not starve her brother for the sake of solidarity to their tardy father. He was already insufferable enough, she didn’t want to hear him complain about his rumbling stomach on top of his ghost hunters talk. 

She had sent him off to do homework, something that she herself needed to do but was currently mulling over her dad’s wellbeing. 

Julie couldn’t help but be worried. Her dad worked with the police. Anything could have happened to him. And it was not like him to be this late without calling ahead of time. And she just seemed to expect the worst out of the world at this point, with what happened to mom…

If he was hurt, then that would confirm her fears.

If not, then he better have a good explanation.

She just needed to check. 

Julie waited through two rings until she heard her dad’s: “Hello?”

“Where are you?” she said, not bothering to say ‘hi’ back. 

Ray sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, “Sorry, _mija_. Got held up at work, but I’m done with my shift for today.” 

“So are you coming home right now?” 

He shared a look with Officer Dan, “Not quite,” 

“What is it now?” gritted out Julie, “Something more important than the red velvet cake I have out for dessert?”

“Aw. Would you save me a slice? And just carpooling,” He explained, “A quick detour to the station. Dan needs to drop off the 17-year-old boy in the backseat and me with the photos, then I’ll be off. I really am sorry,” 

Julie’s irritation with her father subsided. She didn’t mean to get like this at him, and she could only wonder how dejected he must look right now for not being there. 

“Ugh fine,” she made sure to exaggerate her annoyance so he knew that she wasn’t actually mad at him, “This perp better be worth the trouble.” 

Ray chuckled, “Oh yes. He’s top priority. The FBI actually is waiting for him back at the station as we speak.” 

_“What?”_ The boy squeaked from behind him, the first time Ray heard him talk. 

“He’s messing with you, son,” Dan assured from the driver’s seat, “Hi, Julie!” he yelled over the phone.

“Hey Officer Rabello!” she replied even though her dad hadn’t put her on speaker and he wouldn’t have been able to hear her anyway. 

“But no really. He’s fine. Nothing like that,” Ray said, although he didn’t know the reason why this boy was detained in the first place, “Why? What kind of criminal would we be transporting that would make my being late for dinner worth it?”

Julie hummed, thinking about it, “Oh you know, like the typical run-of-the-mill mastermind swindler.” 

Ray openly stared at the teenager, whose baggy pants were only held up by a string of shoelace and was currently rubbing his head against the window in order to scratch a stubborn itch. His tongue was sticking out in absolute concentration. 

“Eh...I’m not sure he fits the bill. Unless they start them real young,”

“Like a crime syndicate full of kids?”

“It happens. I’ve seen it. Don’t let me get into the ways they would initiate these poor kids,”

“Violent?”

“Very,” 

“Ooh. Tell me,”

“...they would brand them, Julie,”

“Yikes,” she hissed, sympathetically, but then she opted to switch gears, “Oh, but remember that guy you told me about? The one Officer Richards found on Sunset?” 

Ray remembered. It had been a wild night. They had come across a man with hooks for hands. It was unclear whether or not that it had been a personal decision to make the switch (he was pretty sure that it wasn’t), but he had been wandering around all lost and confused.

Luckily they were able to help him locate his boat on the dock and help him be on his way. 

_Nice guy_ , Ray recalled. 

“Yeah?”

“Any chance this perp is half as interesting as him? Not saying he has to have hooks for hands, but if so, that would definitely exempt you from my wrath.” 

“Nope. Only two hands,” he relayed into the phone, “Shame.” 

The boy let out a groan, finally catching Ray’s eyes on him, “How can you tell? They’re cuffed behind me!” He made a point of shaking his chained wrists, metal loudly clacking together, “You know, I’d appreciate it if you don’t have a talk about me when I’m literally right here.” 

Although he couldn’t hear half the conversation, the boy was perceptive enough to know that he was the subject of the phone call. 

Ray nodded, “You’re right. I need to verify it then,” He scooted over to the driver’s seat, “Hey, anything strange about this kid when you arrested him on the pier?”

“Hm… like what?” 

“Any tattoos, brandings, anything like that?” 

“Nope,” 

“How about hooks for hands?” 

“That’d be a negative,” 

“Hooks for-? Huh?” The boy spluttered, as his sight bounced back and forth between the two men, “ _What kind of cops are you?”_

Julie heard the boy’s slow descent into madness and giggled. She could only picture the look of utter confusion on his face, and she wished she was there to see it. 

“Well for your sake, _papi_ , he better be cute at least. That’d be your only saving grace. Because your chances of a red velvet-y treat are slim as of right now.” She rhythmically tapped along the counter, absentmindedly playing a song that she had stuck in her head, “Is he?” 

“Hm... I’ll go check,” Ray moved so he was closer to the partition, then he addressed the boy, “Hey, my daughter wants to know if you’re cute.” 

Her fingers stuttered on the granite. _Wait. No-_

“Dad!” shouted Julie. 

“You asked!” 

Well, yeah. But she didn’t think he was actually going to do it! 

The boy stared at Ray, wide eyed.

“Well?” 

_'Are you serious?'_ seemed to be the thought running through his mind as Ray waited for an answer. 

The boy honestly didn’t know what to make of what the hell was going on right now. He had just wanted to play guitar for the night crowd of tourists, he did not expect to be in some cop car, trying to justify his good looks. 

He wanted to keep quiet, still bitter about getting brought in by a cop ( and even more bitter for them tricking him into thinking that, for a second, the freakin’ FBI was on his case. Like really? Who does that?) 

He had the right to remain silent, didn’t he? But the man wasn’t letting up, and it wasn’t like he had a choice. He really couldn’t afford to _not_ cooperate with the police right now, not when his guitar was held hostage in the trunk. 

So, in a moment of madness, he actually responded:

“I, uh, I want to say yes, sir…” 

The man, that the boy now realized wasn’t a cop at all but actually one of those forensic photographers, nearly knocked over his camera bag onto the floor, ringing out one of those deep kinds of laughs that meant no direct offense. 

“ _Mija_ , he says he’s cute. I might have to agree with him!” 

The comment caused the boy’s cheeks to flush. _Geez. Thanks, mister._

Then the man brought the phone closer to him, “Do you want me to ask if he’s single too?”

The boy's eyes widened some more. 

Then a startled yelp from the phone was loud enough for everyone to hear, and a laugh erupted from the boy before he could stop himself. 

The absurdity of the situation was finally getting to him… might as well go with it. 

Not like he could go anywhere. 

Julie was mortified, “Oh god. Please no. Please don’t ask him that!” 

The last thing she needed right now was her dad trying to set her up with a total stranger! She knew the lengths her dad would go for a joke, and sometimes they would push each other to see who would break first. It would drive her mom insane whenever they do this. 

_Okay. Jokes over, dad. Haha. You can stop. You win. Lemme die in peace._

The boy couldn’t hear the girl on the other end of the phone, but telling from the tone, she was clearly not happy that her dad just said that, and that amused him. 

Oh the little things to keep himself entertained while he was stuck. He let out a half-smile, imagining the kind of crisis some girl out there was having right now.

He wondered if he could put the poor girl at ease and assure her that he had no intentions of dating her because her dad asked him to.

And judging from the banter he had with his daughter, he would expect the man to do just that. 

Cue the awkward moment that would undoubtedly ensue when he had to break it to the man that yes, he was in fact single, but he had his sights set on someone else at the moment. 

Luckily for him, the man didn’t ask about his relationship status, instead proceeding to talk to the officer. 

“Hope you didn’t pick him up for having weed on him or anything like that,” He threw his head back, “Because that would be a deal breaker!” 

The boy chuckled slightly. He bit his lip to stop himself from straight up lying to him and said that he was, hoping that it would get him out of being his daughter’s potential boyfriend. 

“No. Street performing without a permit,” 

The boy shot up, all indignant, but ended up falling over due to his hands being tied, “Come on! That’s not even a real law! You arrest me for playing my guitar on the pier?” 

Ray had to agree with him there. The laws around street performing and busky were flimsy at best, and it was hard to enforce, especially in Los Angeles- ‘Busker Central’ as his wife lovingly deemed it. It didn’t seem fair. 

But there couldn’t have been a better ‘crime’ he could have committed. 

“You play?”

The boy nodded. 

Ray had to see if his daughter was still on the line. She was. Good. She might find this interesting.

“Julie, he’s a musician! Isn’t that nice?” He then spoke to the boy, “My daughter’s into music too. Piano and she sings.” 

“Was that her? Your ringtone?” 

“Yeah,” 

The boy was floored, “She’s… really talented.” 

“Did you hear that? He thinks you're talented,” 

Julie did. And she smiled, although slightly red in the face as she did, “Uh… thanks. But dad, are you seriously trying to set me up with a criminal?” 

This was clearly not a joke anymore, Julie now fully believed that her dad was actually trying to score her a date. Finding out that he was a musician, who could play her mom’s instrument no less, must have been that deciding factor. 

But she didn’t know the guy! All she could go off of was that above information and that he was cute. 

A cute guitar player may be enough for most girls, but not her. 

Well, she would be lying if she said that it wasn’t exactly her type… 

“He seems like a nice young man,” Ray testified. He had a good feeling about the boy, ever since he had climbed into Dan’s patrol car tonight. He couldn’t explain it. 

He turned around, his neck growing tired from his effort to carry two conversations simultaneously, “Are you still in school, son?” 

“Yeah. I am. Los Feliz,” The boy grumbled, apparently not too happy about that fact. Eager to get out into the world and make a name for himself already? Ray could only assume. 

Huh. But Los Feliz- same high school as Julie. What a coincidence! 

“What’s your name?” 

“Luke. Luke Patterson,” 

Phone to his ear once more, Ray asked:

“Hey Julie, do you happen to know a ‘Luke Patterson’ that goes to your school?” 

Julie nearly dropped her phone. 

Luke Patterson. 

_Luke freakin’ Patterson?!_

Did she know him? 

_Did she know him?_

Oh she knew him alright. 

5’8’’. 

Shaggy brown hair. 

Always sporting beanies and cutoffs that showed off his ridiculously toned biceps. 

Hazel eyes that had, admittedly, stopped her dead in her tracks various times when walking in the hallway, music room- wherever. 

Always disarming her every time he even so much _breathed_ in her direction. 

The guy was in her music class. Forget him calling her ‘talented’- he was incredible on the guitar! And his voice too! He had that band going on with his friends- Sunset Swerve or something like that. She had been tempted to go to one of their shows but could never bring herself to leave her dad and Carlos at home. 

But her not going to see his band couldn’t change the fact that she had been hardcore crushing on this guy for as long as she could remember. 

_Oh my god._

Her dad was in a patrol car with Luke Patterson. 

Her dad was trying to score her a date with Luke. 

She could die, like literally die, if Luke ever found out that it was her, quiet Julie Molina in his music class was trying to ask him out. 

She should hang up, she nearly ended the call, leaving her dad hanging, but then she had to hear her crush’s voice filter through. 

“Wait,” Luke leaned forward as he could against the partition, putting the pieces together,“Julie? As in Julie Molina? From Ms. Harrisons’ class?” 

_Crap!_

“Oh you know Julie?” 

Luke wanted to scoff.

Did he know Julie Molina? 

_The Julie Molina?_

Oh he knew her all right. 

The beautiful mass of brown curls he could easily pick out in a sea of people. 

Always rocking the comfiest sweaters and shoes that showed off the coolest designs (he knew they were her doodles, which made them even better). 

The smile that always seemed to knock him off his feet whenever he saw her talking to her friend Flynn.

(There may had been a time when he had been so busy staring at Julie that he had walked right into an open locker door. Bobby, Alex, and Reggie would not stop making fun of him for weeks...)

The one who was a beast on piano but never seemed to sing nowadays? 

Luke kicked himself for not recognizing her voice on the ringtone. It had been a while. A year.But oh that snippet he had heard had been all the more satisfying. 

He would love to hear more. 

Her killer voice only seemed to cement the already overwhelming feelings he had for her. 

He snapped out of his little Julie-induced contemplation when the man- Julie’s _dad_ \- repeated the question. _Do you know Julie?_

“Uh… yeah. Yeah,” 

Then the reality of the situation hit him. 

He was in a cop car with his crush’s _dad._ Here he was in what was pretty much a low point in his life, and not only did Julie know about it, but her dad did too. Luke thought the worst thing about tonight was going to be the impending grounding he was sure to receive when his parents bail him out, but no.

Having your crush picturing you in handcuffs and whining to her dad was way, way worse. 

Ray grinned, “You two know each other. That’s great! Lemme put it on speaker so you guys can talk-” 

“Wait, no-”

“-Really not necessary-” 

The teenagers protested at the same time but Ray went and pressed the button. 

“You’re on speaker! Say hi, Julie!” 

She dragged her hand down her face, “... hi… Luke?” 

“Hey… Julie,” He pursed his lips, “Uh… how are you?” 

_How are you? Really?_ Was that the best he could do? 

“I’m good. Good… and you?” 

“Well, to be honest. Could be better,” 

Julie laughed, uneasy, “Right with the whole… arresting thing… yup,” 

“Yup,” Luke echoed. 

_Can I be any more awkward?_ Julie thought. 

“I hope this doesn’t count as your one phone call,” 

Luke shrugged, “I don’t think so. But if it was, I wouldn’t mind it being you.”

The officer coughed, trying to cover up his scoff. Luke glared at him. 

“Oh?” she tried to keep the butterflies from rising up her throat and spilling out into embarrassing words, “Well… don’t think that since my dad works at the station that you’ll be let off easy…” 

“Really, Molina? After all we’ve been through together?” he joked. 

“We were partners for one composition project, Luke,” 

“The worst project! We had to write a country song,” 

Julie remembered. It had been a terrifying assignment. But they still managed to pull in an ‘A’, “But hey, your southern twang saved the day,” 

“Wow. Thanks. I thought I sounded like a goat,” 

“A cute goat,” Julie clamped her hand over her mouth. 

Damn butterflies. _Why did I say that?_

Meanwhile, Luke was grinning from ear to ear. Did she just- did she call him cute? 

Wait. How would he respond? 

He couldn’t look at her dad right now, fearing any blatant forms of flirting right back would lock him up for longer than originally planned. 

“Yeah… um… wow,” she muttered, embarrassed, and Luke realized that he had let the silence hang between them for too long. She must have thought that he was put off by what she said. 

“I’m just gonna… I’ll just hang up now-” 

“No! Wait!” Luke surged forward, accidentally ramming his head against the partition. He stumbled back into his seat. 

“Woah, take it easy, kid!” 

Ray frowned, his fingers curling around the metal grate, “Luke are you alright?” 

“What happened?” Oh good. Julie was still on the line. 

Luke took a deep breath. He had never imagined doing this here, in a cop car, with her dad watching, but it was now or never. For years he had been chickening out trying to talk to Julie, trying to ask her out.

And now, knowing that she may have just a smidge of feelings for him too- he may not have a chance like this ever again. 

He could easily slink back into the background tomorrow, losing his courage forever. But from what he learned from his scrape with the law, tomorrow may not be guaranteed. 

Okay. He sounded so dramatic.

Hmm… now that gave him an idea. He knew what would grab her attention. 

He pressed his face against the partition, gently this time, “Julie!” 

Ray held his phone closer to Luke, after making sure the boy hadn’t been too badly injured, 

“Yes…?” Julie uttered, shyly. 

“Look,” he started, taking on a urgent tone, “I don’t know how long I’m gonna be in the slammer for-” 

The officer sighed, “You’re not going to jail. This is your first offense-” 

“-Julie, you need to do me a favor,”

“Yeah, Luke. What is it?” 

“Wait for me!” he cried dramatically, “It could be months or years-” 

“-An hour at most at the station, son-” 

“But I’ll make it through if I know you’re out there waiting for me on the other side!” He directed his gaze at Ray, as if to ask, _‘May I?’_

Ray, who had been thoroughly enjoying watching this exchange, tilted his head at the boy. This Luke really was something. He could see Julie already smitten with him, and there seemed to be something already there, this connection. And from this display, Ray knew that Luke was really all in with this. 

He could see Julie being happy with the boy. 

Ray smiled, ‘Go for it’ he mouthed. 

The boy sighed in relief at the approval. Then he shed the star-crossed lover facing prison act, and asked more seriously: 

“When I get out… do you want to catch a movie or something?” 

Silence. 

Julie stood, shocked, in the kitchen, lowering her phone onto the table. 

Did he just- Did he just ask her out?

Thank god she was in the safety of her home so no one in that police car could even witness how the blush had returned at full force. 

Julie had been laughing at Luke’s bravado, finding Officer Rabello interruptions hilarious as well. 

That was until he had popped the question. 

Now, she was pacing, freaking out over what just happened. She would so call Flynn right now if her phone hadn’t already been in use. 

This past year had been tough, and Julie had to take a step back from going out and enjoying herself like any other teenager. The thought of doing such things give her a twinge of guilt for not being there for her family. 

But she really really liked Luke. She didn’t think he had even noticed her, let alone returned her feelings, but now with these strange circumstances, circumstances that involve her meddling father who seemed to be rooting for her and Luke, this opportunity to go out with him practically landed on her lap.

She would be stupid to pass it up. 

Emboldened by her revelation and her father’s support, Julie quickly, before they thought she had left the call, picked up her phone. 

“Luke?” 

“Yeah?” 

Julie ducked her head, covering half her burning face in her hands, “I… I would love to see a movie with you.” 

Luke nearly bumped his head against the roof of the police car, “Really?” 

“Really. Whenever you become a free man, I guess,” Julie beamed, trying to catch her giggles with her sweater sleeve as the joy overtakes her body. 

“Well, maybe not this weekend because my parents would ground me when I get back home. Next Friday?” 

“It’s a date,” 

“Cool,” Luke breathed out, but he was smiling so big and was feeling as if he could just burst right then and there. 

“See you then…” Julie went to end the call, but then remembered something, “ Oh, and dad?” 

Ray brought the phone towards himself, “Yes?” 

“I love you. And thank you. But please… please never do this again,”

“But look how well it turned out! I wouldn’t mind if I screen your dates from here on out-” 

“Bye, dad!” 

Then Julie hung up. 

And proceeded to run around the kitchen island, screaming and dancing to her heart’s content. 

* * *

They finally arrived at the station not too long after Julie had left the call, and they all got out of the car (Luke with the assistance of Dan). Ray walked with them up the steps, mostly saying his final goodbyes to Dan and managing to pass his camera off to a colleague, before he was off to his car. 

Luke had been quiet, much like he had in the beginning of their ride, but he had a spring in his step, basically radiating. It was only made worse when Ray had helped get the guitar out of the trunk and the boy’s eyes lit up at the sight. 

Ray handed the instrument off to Dan whilst Luke was in the officer’s hold, “Take care of this would you?” 

Luke shot a grateful glance at him. But Ray had a feeling it was not just about the guitar. 

“You seem like a nice kid, Luke,” 

“Thanks, sir,” 

“Since that’s the case…” he leaned in to whisper, “You know better than to hurt my daughter, right?” 

Luke gulped, “I’m aware.” 

“Good,” He clapped him on the shoulder, startling him and Ray felt bad for spooking him. But he couldn’t let the boy get too comfortable. 

“I better not find you in the back of a police car again,” 

“Of course, sir. Won’t happen again,” 

“Oh, and one more thing,” Ray shared a smile with Dan at the sight of Luke visibly shaking in his presence, “Don’t forget to buy her Skittles at the theater. They’re her favorite.” 

“Will do….," Luke scrunched his nose, "Any chance you'll stop scaring me now?” 

Ray shook his head, walking down the steps and over to his car, "You're funny.” 

Just because he approved of him, didn’t mean he was going to make it easy for him. He needed to keep his daughter’s dates on their toes. 

He was a dad after all. 

When Ray had got home, it went just about as expected with Julie berating him for embarrassing her in front of her crush and with a reluctant passing over of the plate of red velvet cake. 

Yeah, he knew he could overdo it, and he did apologize to Julie about that. 

But when a week later, as he sat on the couch catching up on some TV with Carlos, Julie returned from her movie date with Luke, humming softly to herself, the first semblance of her singing. It was the happiest Ray had ever seen her since Rose’s passing, and he knew he had done the right thing for stepping in. 

And that was something he would not apologize for. 


End file.
